New Horizons

• The ark of the covenant symbolized and mediated the Lord’s presence (Ex. 25:10–22) as Christ, now through the Holy Spirit directly does.

• The Jordan’s swollen waters would have been considerably more daunting than the river at its normal 3- to 10-foot (0.9- to 3.0-m) depth and 90- to 100-foot (27- to 31-m) width. Crossing such water would be no less miraculous than crossing the Red Sea (cf. 4:23). God’s presence brings the people through the waters of death into the land, prefiguring Christ leading us to eternal life (John 11:25–26) (Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 398). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.).

In Isaiah 43 ‘Brings forth/out’, or ‘leads out’, in verse 17 is a military term, as if Yahweh had taken command of the Egyptian forces and led them to their watery grave, snuffed out like a wick (cf 42:3). He specifies that he continues to possess the same power and potential as he had then. He is the sort of God who can do things of this kind. God had revealed himself to be the Redeemer of Israel. But of course God does not change. Thus he is the eternal Redeemer. What God is now about to do is therefore consonant with the nature of his revealed Self (Knight, G. A. F. (1984). Servant theology: a commentary on the book of Isaiah 40–55 (Rev. and updated new ed., p. 67). Edinburgh; Grand Rapids: Handsel Press; W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.).

• When we seek God's honor, He is ultimately the one who will vanquish the foes before us. It is not a matter of a more cleaver strategy, longer hours or greater numbers. God will use a faithful, prayerful cadre to overcome the greatest foes.

Illustration: 6934 John Franklin’s Last Journey

Sir John Franklin lived an exciting life of adventure in the British Navy, which took him to many parts of the world. As a signal midshipman in the Battle of Trafalgar, he transmitted the memorable message from the flagship, “England expects every man to do his duty.” He was a devout Christian and found great strength in reading the Bible. In 1845 he was put in command of two ships to look for a passage across the polar seas. We retain the bible that he used on the voyages, which had underlined: “If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me” (Psalm 139:9, 10). There was also a book of devotions with a page turned down at the verse: “Fear not … When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee” (Isa. 43:1, 2) (Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (p. 1527). Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.)

2) A New Thought (Isaiah 43:18)

Isaiah 43:18 ‘Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.’ (ESV)

While people can undoubtedly take heart from what God did in the past, He is not limited by the pattern or extent of His previous intervention. The future will reveal even more surprising displays of what he can do. ‘The former things’, ‘the things of old’) do not exhaust Yahweh’s capacity for action on behalf of his own. God is predicting a new exodus, which should not be made to conform to the previous one but allowed to stand in its own right (cf. Jer. 23:7–8) (Oswalt, J. N. (1998). The Book of Isaiah, Chapters 40–66 (p. 155). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.).